The Hypocrites

Among the people there are some who say, 'We believe in Allah and the Last Day,' when they do not believe. They think they deceive Allah and those who believe. They deceive no one but themselves but they are not aware of it. There is a sickness in their hearts and Allah has increased their sickness. They will have a painful punishment on account of their denial. (Qur'an, 2:8-10)

THEY COME OUT OF THE BELIEVERS

There is a group of you who propagated the lie. Do not suppose it to be bad for you; rather it is good for you. Every one of them will incur the evil he has earned and the one who took it on himself to amplify it will receive a terrible punishment. (Qur'an, 24:11)

THEY DO NOT BELIEVE IN ALLAH

Among the people there are some who say, 'We believe in Allah and the Last Day,' when they are not believers. (Qur'an, 2:8)

Each time a sura is sent down there are some among them who say, 'Which of you has this increased in faith?' As for those who believe, it increases them in faith and they rejoice at it. (Qur'an, 9:124)

When they meet those who believe, they say, 'We believe.' But then when they go apart with their satans, they say, 'We are really with you. We were only mocking.' (Qur'an, 2:14)

THEY DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE QUR'AN

Each time a sura is sent down, they look at one another, implying, 'Can anyone see you?' Then they turn away. Allah has turned their hearts away because they are people who do not understand. (Qur'an, 9:127)

That is because they have believed and then returned to disbelief. So their hearts have been sealed up and they cannot understand. (Qur'an, 63:3)

They said, 'Shu'ayb, We do not understand much of what you say and we see you are weak among us. Were it not for your clan, we would have stoned you. We do not hold you in high esteem!' (Qur'an, 11:91)

THEY ARE DOUBTFUL OF THE HEREAFTER

What! Are they in doubt about the meeting with their Lord? What! Does He not encompass all things? (Qur'an, 41:54)

THEY MISINTERPRET THE QUR'AN

It is He Who sent down the Book to you from Him: verses containing clear judgements—they are the core of the Book—and others which are open to interpretation. Those with deviation in their hearts follow what is open to interpretation in it, desiring conflict, seeking its inner meaning. No one knows its inner meaning but Allah. Those firmly rooted in knowledge say, 'We believe in it. All of it is from our Lord.' But only people of intelligence pay heed. (Qur'an, 3:7)

SOME HAVE RETURNED TO DISBELIEF AFTER HAVING FAITH

They swear by Allah that they said nothing, but they definitely spoke the word of disbelief and returned to disbelief after their Islam. They planned something which they did not achieve and they were vindictive for no other cause than that Allah and His Messenger had enriched them from His bounty. If they were to repent, it would be better for them. But if they turn away, Allah will punish them with a painful punishment in this world and the hereafter, and they will not find any protector or helper on the earth. (Qur'an, 9:74)

If you ask them they will say, 'We were only joking and playing around.' Say: 'Would you make a mockery of Allah and of His Signs and of His Messenger? Do not try to excuse yourselves. You have become unbelievers after believing. If one group of you is pardoned, another group will be punished for being evildoers.' (Qur'an, 9:65-66)

Those who reject Allah after having believed—except for someone forced to do it whose heart remains at rest in its faith—but as for those whose breasts become dilated with disbelief, anger from Allah will come down on them. They will have a terrible punishment. (Qur'an, 16:106)

That is because they have believed and then returned to disbelief. So their hearts have been sealed up and they cannot understand. (Qur'an, 63:3)

THEY PRETEND TO BE BELIEVERS THOUGH THEY DO NOT BELIEVE

When they meet those who believe, they say, 'We believe.' But then when they go apart with their satans, they say, 'We are really with you. We were only mocking.' (Qur'an, 2:14)

When the hypocrites come to you they say, 'We bear witness that you are indeed the Messenger of Allah.'Allah knows that you are indeed His Messenger and Allah bears witness that the hypocrites are certainly liars. (Qur'an, 63:1)

Among the people there are some who say, 'We believe in Allah and the Last Day,' when they are not believers. (Qur'an, 2:8)

THEY TRY TO DECEIVE ALLAH AND THE BELIEVERS

They think they deceive Allah and those who believe. They deceive no one but themselves but they are not aware of it. (Qur'an, 2:9)

They swear by Allah that they are of your number, but they are not of your number. Rather, they are people who are scared. (Qur'an, 9:56)

THEY SPEAK WHAT IS NOT IN THEIR HEARTS

What assailed you on the day the two armies met was by Allah's permission, so that He would know the believers, and so that He would know the hypocrites. They were told, 'Come and fight in the Way of Allah or at least help defend us.' They said, 'If we knew how to fight, we would certainly follow you.' They were closer to disbelief that day than to faith, saying with their mouths what was not in their hearts. And Allah knows best what they are hiding. (Qur'an, 3:166-167)

THEY ARE ENEMIES OF THE BELIEVERS

O Prophet! Strive against the unbelievers and hypocrites and be harsh with them. Their refuge is Hell. What an evil destination! (Qur'an, 66:9)

THEY TAKE THE DISBELIEVERS AS THEIR FRIENDS AND CONFIDANTS

Did you not see the hypocrites saying to their brothers, those among the People of the Book who do not believe, 'If you are driven out we will leave with you, we will never obey anyone to your detriment. And if you are fought against we will help you'? Allah bears witness that they are truly liars. (Qur'an, 59:11)

Do those who take the unbelievers as protectors, rather than the believers, hope to find power and strength with them? Power and strength belong entirely to Allah. (Qur'an, 4:139)

You see many of them taking those who do not believe as their friends. What their lower selves have advanced for them is evil indeed, bringing Allah's anger down upon them. They will suffer punishment timelessly, for ever. (Qur'an, 5:80)

THEY JOIN FORCES WITH THE DISBELIEVERS AGAINST THE BELIEVERS

O Messenger! Do not be grieved by those who rush headlong into disbelief among those who say 'We believe' with their tongues when their hearts contain no faith. And among the Jews are those who listen to lies, listening to other people who have not come to you, distorting words from their proper meanings, saying, 'If you are given this, then take it. If you are not given it, then beware!' If Allah desires misguidance for someone, you cannot help him against Allah in any way. Those are the people whose hearts Allah does not want to purify. They will have disgrace in this world and in the hereafter they will have a terrible punishment. (Qur'an, 5:41)

That is because they said to those who hate what Allah has sent down, 'We will obey you in part of the affair'. But Allah knows their secrets. (Qur'an, 47:26)

THEY ARE UNDER THE MASTERY OF SATAN

Satan has gained mastery over them and made them forget the remembrance of Allah. Such people are the party of satan. No indeed! It is the party of satan who are the losers. (Qur'an, 58:19)

THEY ARE THE FRIENDS OF SATAN

Those who believe fight in the Way of Allah. Those who do not believe fight in the way of false gods. So fight the friends of satan! Satan's scheming is always feeble. (Qur'an, 4:76)

Satan has gained mastery over them and made them forget the remembrance of Allah. Such people are the party of satan. No indeed! It is the party of satan who are the losers. (Qur'an, 58:19)

THEY SUPPOSE THAT ALLAH IS UNAWARE OF THE EVIL THEY DO

Do you not see those who were forbidden to confer together secretly returning to the very thing they were forbidden to do, and conferring together secretly in wrongdoing and enmity and disobedience to the Messenger? And when they come to you they greet you with words Allah has never used in greeting you, and say to themselves 'Why does Allah not punish us for what we say?' Hell will be enough for them! They will roast in it. What an evil destination! (Qur'an, 58:8)

THEY FEAR PEOPLE, NOT ALLAH

You are a greater cause of terror in their breasts than Allah! That is because they are people who do not understand. (Qur'an, 59:13)

Do you not see those who were told: 'Hold back from fighting but perform prayer and give alms'? Then when fighting is prescribed for them, a group of them fear people as Allah should be feared, or even more than that. They say, 'Our Lord, why have you prescribed fighting for us? If only You would give us just a little more time!' Say, 'The enjoyment of this world is very brief. The hereafter is better for those who guard against evil. You will not be wronged by so much as the smallest speck.' (Qur'an, 4:77)

THEY SEEK THE PLEASURE OF OTHER PEOPLE, NOT THAT OF ALLAH

They will swear to you to make you pleased with them, but even if you are pleased with them, Allah is certainly not pleased with deviant people. (Qur'an, 9:96)

They swear to you by Allah in order to please you, but it would be more fitting for them to please Allah and His Messenger if they are believers. (Qur'an, 9:62)

THEY PUT FORWARD EXCUSES AND LAG BEHIND
IN THE STRUGGLE IN THE WAY OF ALLAH

Those who were left behind were glad to stay behind the Messenger of Allah. They did not want to strive with their wealth and themselves in the Way of Allah. They said, 'Do not go out to fight in the heat.' Say: 'The Fire of Hell is much hotter, if they only understood.' (Qur'an, 9:81)

Those Arabs who remained behind will say to you, 'Our wealth and families kept us occupied, so ask forgiveness for us.' They say with their tongues what is not in their hearts. Say: 'Who can control Allah for you in any way whether He wants harm for you or wants benefit for you?' Allah is aware of what you do. (Qur'an, 48:11)

Yet they had previously made a contract with Allah that they would never turn their backs. Contracts made with Allah will be asked about. (Qur'an, 33:15)

If We had directed them to kill themselves or leave their homes, they would not have done so, except for a very few. But if they had done what they were urged to do, it would have been better for them and far more strengthening. (Qur'an, 4:66)

Allah knows the obstructers among you and those who say to their brothers, 'Come to us,' and who only come to fight a very little, (Qur'an, 33:18)

And so that He would know the hypocrites. They were told, 'Come and fight in the Way of Allah or at least help defend us.' They said, 'If we knew how to fight, we would certainly follow you.' They were closer to disbelief that day than to faith, saying with their mouths what was not in their hearts. And Allah knows best what they are hiding. (Qur'an, 3:167)

And a group of them said, 'People of Yathrib (Madina), Your position is untenable so return!' some of them asked the Prophet to excuse them, saying, 'Our houses are exposed,' when they were not exposed; it was merely that they wanted to run away. (Qur'an, 33:13)

The desert Arabs came with their excuses asking for permission to stay, and those who lied to Allah and His Messenger stayed behind. A painful punishment will afflict those among them who do not believe. (Qur'an, 9:90)

There are only grounds against those who ask you for permission to stay when they are rich. They were pleased to be among those who were left behind. Allah has sealed up their hearts so they do not know. (Qur'an, 9:93)

THEY ARE PLEASED TO BE AMONG
THOSE WHO LAG BEHIND IN THE STRUGGLE

Those who were left behind were glad to stay behind the Messenger of Allah. They did not want to strive with their wealth and themselves in the Way of Allah. They said, 'Do not go out to fight in the heat.' Say: 'The Fire of Hell is much hotter, if they only understood.' (Qur'an, 9:81)

THEY SELDOM REMEMBER ALLAH

The hypocrites think they deceive Allah, but He is deceiving them. When they get up to pray, they get up lazily, showing off to people, and only remembering Allah a very little. (Qur'an, 4:142)

Satan has gained mastery over them and made them forget the remembrance of Allah. Such people are the party of satan. No indeed! It is the party of satan who are the losers. (Qur'an, 58:19)

THEY ARE AVERSE TO WHAT PLEASES ALLAH

That is because they followed what angers Allah and hated what is pleasing to Him. So He made their actions come to nothing. (Qur'an, 47:28)

Those who were left behind were glad to stay behind the Messenger of Allah. They did not want to strive with their wealth and themselves in the Way of Allah. They said, 'Do not go out to fight in the heat.' Say: 'The Fire of Hell is much hotter, if they only understood.' (Qur'an, 9:81)

THEY COME TO PRAYER RELUCTANTLY

Nothing prevents what they give from being accepted from them but the fact that they have rejected Allah and His Messenger, and that they only come to prayer lethargically, and that they only give reluctantly. (Qur'an, 9:54)

The hypocrites think they deceive Allah, but He is deceiving them. When they get up to pray, they get up lazily, showing off to people, and only remembering Allah a very little. (Qur'an, 4:142)

THEY WORSHIP IN ORDER TO SHOW OFF

And also for those who spend their wealth to show off to people, not believing in Allah and the Last Day. Anyone who has made satan his comrade, what an evil comrade he is! (Qur'an, 4:38)

THEY DERIDE THE BELIEVERS
WHO SPEND IN THE WAY OF ALLAH

As for the people who find fault with those believers who give charity spontaneously, and with those who can find nothing to give but their own effort, and deride them, Allah derides them. They will have a painful punishment. (Qur'an, 9:79)

THEY AVOID HARD WORK AND
ACCEPT EASY TASKS

Do you make the giving of water to the pilgrims and looking after the Masjid al-Haram the same as believing in Allah and the Last Day and striving in the Way of Allah? They are not equal in the sight of Allah. Allah does not guide wrongdoing people. (Qur'an, 9:19)

THEY DO THEIR UTMOST
TO STAY AWAY FROM THE BELIEVERS

When they are told, 'Come to what Allah has sent down and to the Messenger,' you see the hypocrites turning away from you completely. (Qur'an, 4:61)

THEY SEEK TO INSULT THOSE WHO BELIEVE

Do not obey the unbelievers and hypocrites and disregard their abuse of you. Put your trust in Allah. Allah suffices as a Protector. (Qur'an, 33:48)

THEY ARE FULL OF HATRED
TOWARDS THE BELIEVERS

You who believe! Do not take any outside yourselves as intimates. They will do anything to harm you. They love what causes you distress. Hatred has appeared out of their mouths, but what their breasts hide is far worse. We have made the Signs clear to you if you use your intellect. (Qur'an, 3:118)

There you are, loving them when they do not love you, even though you believe in the whole of the Book. When they meet you, they say, 'We believe.' But when they leave they bite their fingers out of rage against you. Say, 'Die in your rage.' Allah knows what your hearts contain. (Qur'an, 3:119)

THEY FEEL HATRED AND RAGE,
ESPECIALLY TOWARDS THE MESSENGERS

If they argue with you, say, 'I have submitted myself completely to Allah, and so have all who follow me.' Say to those given the Book and those who have no Book, 'Have you become Muslim?' If they become Muslim, they have been guided. If they turn away, you are only responsible for transmission. Allah sees His servants. (Qur'an, 3:20)

If they do argue with you, say: 'Allah knows best what you are doing.' (Qur'an, 22:68)

Will you not fight a people who have broken their oaths and resolved to expel the Messenger, and who initiated hostilities against you in the first place? Is it them you fear? Allah has more right to your fear if you are believers. (Qur'an, 9:13)

OBEDIENCE GIVES OFFENCE
TO THE HYPOCRITES

When they are summoned to Allah and His Messenger, so that he can judge between them, a group of them immediately turn away. (Qur'an, 24:48)

THEY WANT THE BELIEVERS
TO BE DISBANDED

They are the people who say, 'Do not spend on those who are with the Messenger of Allah, so that they may go away.' The treasuries of the heavens and earth belong to Allah. But the hypocrites do not understand this. (Qur'an, 63:7)

THEY TRY TO SPREAD LIES
WHEN THEY ARE AMONG THE BELIEVERS

There is a group of you who propagated the lie. Do not suppose it to be bad for you; rather it is good for you. Every one of them will incur the evil he has earned and the one who took it on himself to amplify it will receive a terrible punishment. Why, when you heard it, did you not, as men and women of the believers, instinctively think good thoughts and say, 'This is obviously a lie'? (Qur'an, 24:11-12)

THEY WISH THOSE WHO BELIEVE
TO FALL INTO DIFFICULTIES

If something good happens to you, it galls them. If something bad strikes you, they rejoice at it. But if you are steadfast and guard against evil, their scheming will not harm you in any way. Allah encompasses what they do. (Qur'an, 3:120)

THEY DO NOT WANT THE BELIEVERS
TO BECOME WEALTHY

They are the people who say, 'Do not spend on those who are with the Messenger of Allah, so that they may go away.' The treasuries of the heavens and earth belong to Allah. But the hypocrites do not understand this. (Qur'an, 63:7)

THEY SET UP A LODGE TO CAUSE
HARM TO THE BELIEVERS

As for those who have set up a mosque, causing harm and out of disbelief, to create division between the believers, and in readiness for those who previously made war on Allah and His Messenger, they will swear, 'We only desired the best.' But Allah bears witness that they are truly liars. Do not ever stand in it. A mosque founded on performing one's duty from the very first day has a greater right for you to stand in it. In it there are men who love to purify themselves. Allah loves those who purify themselves. (Qur'an, 9:107-108)

THEY ARE UPSET WHEN GOOD THINGS HAPPEN TO THE BELIEVERS

If good happens to you it galls them. If a mishap occurs to you, they say, 'We made our preparations in advance,' and they turn away rejoicing. (Qur'an, 9:50)

THEY ASSEMBLE FURTIVELY TO PLOT
ENMITY AND REVOLT AGAINST THE BELIEVERS

They try to conceal themselves from people, but they cannot conceal themselves from Allah. He is with them when they spend the night saying things which are not pleasing to Him. Allah encompasses everything they do. (Qur'an, 4:108)

Do you not see those who were forbidden to confer together secretly returning to the very thing they were forbidden to do, and conferring together secretly in wrongdoing and enmity and disobedience to the Messenger?And when they come to you they greet you with words Allah has never used in greeting you, and say to themselves 'Why does Allah not punish us for what we say?' Hell will be enough for them! They will roast in it. What an evil destination! (Qur'an, 58:8)

THEY TRY TO PLEASE THE BELIEVERS
WHILE THEY ARE WITH THEM

When the hypocrites come to you they say, 'We bear witness that you are indeed the Messenger of Allah.'Allah knows that you are indeed His Messenger and Allah bears witness that the hypocrites are certainly liars. (Qur'an, 63:1)

They swear to you by Allah in order to please you, but it would be more fitting for them to please Allah and His Messenger if they are believers. (Qur'an, 9:62)

They will make excuses to you when you return to them. Say: 'Do not make excuses, we will not believe you. Allah has already informed us about you. Allah will see your actions, as will His Messenger. Then you will be returned to the Knower of the Unseen and the Visible, and He will inform you regarding what you did.' They will swear to you by Allah when you return to them, so that you leave them alone. Leave them alone, then! They are filth. Their shelter will be Hell as repayment for what they did. They will swear to you to make you pleased with them, but even if you are pleased with them, Allah is certainly not pleased with deviant people. (Qur'an, 9:94-96)

THEY STRIVE TO DEFAME THE BELIEVERS

If they come upon you, they will be your enemies and stretch out their hands and tongues against you with evil intent, and they would dearly love you to become unbelievers. (Qur'an, 60:2)

THEY RIDICULE THE BELIEVERS
BEHIND THEIR BACKS

When you call to prayer they make a mockery and a game of it. That is because they are people who do not use their intellect. (Qur'an, 5:58)

As for the people who find fault with those believers who give charity spontaneously, and with those who can find nothing to give but their own effort, and deride them, Allah derides them. They will have a painful punishment. (Qur'an, 9:79)

When they meet those who believe, they say, 'We believe.' But then when they go apart with their satans, they say, 'We are really with you. We were only mocking.' (Qur'an, 2:14)

If you ask them they will say, 'We were only joking and playing around.' Say: 'Would you make a mockery of Allah and of His Signs and of His Messenger? (Qur'an, 9:65)

When he does learn something of Our Signs, he makes a mockery of them. Such people will have a humiliating punishment. (Qur'an, 45:9)

THEY BELIEVE THAT THE BELIEVERS
ARE MISTAKEN

And when the hypocrites and those with sickness in their hearts said, 'These people have been deluded by their religion.' But those who put their trust in Allah will find Allah to be Almighty, All-Wise. If only you could see when the angels take back those who did not believe at their death, beating their faces and their backs: 'Taste the punishment of the Burning! That is for what you did. Allah does not wrong His servants.' (Qur'an, 8:49-51)

When they are told, 'Believe in the way that the people believe,' they say, 'What! Are we to believe in the way that fools believe?' No indeed! They are the fools, but they do not know it. (Qur'an, 2:13)

THEY ATTEMPT TO HOLD THE BELIEVERS BACK FROM THEIR STRUGGLE
IN THE WAY OF ALLAH

Allah knows the obstructers among you and those who say to their brothers, 'Come to us,' and who only come to fight a very little, (Qur'an, 33:18)

And a group of them said, 'People of Yathrib (Madina), Your position is untenable so return!' some of them asked the Prophet to excuse them, saying, 'Our houses are exposed,' when they were not exposed; it was merely that they wanted to run away. (Qur'an, 33:13)

If they come upon you, they will be your enemies and stretch out their hands and tongues against you with evil intent, and they would dearly love you to become unbelievers. (Qur'an, 60:2)

Those who were left behind were glad to stay behind the Messenger of Allah. They did not want to strive with their wealth and themselves in the Way of Allah. They said, 'Do not go out to fight in the heat.' Say: 'The Fire of Hell is much hotter, if they only understood.' (Qur'an, 9:81)

THEY CAUSE CONFLICT

Among the people there is someone whose words about the life of this world excite your admiration, and he calls Allah to witness what is in his heart, while he is in fact the most hostile of adversaries. When he leaves you, he goes about the earth corrupting it, destroying crops and animals. Allah does not love corruption. (Qur'an, 2:204-205)

If the hypocrites and those with sickness in their hearts and the rumour-mongers in Madina do not desist, We will set you onto them. Then they will only be your neighbours there a very short time. (Qur'an, 33:60)

They have already tried to cause conflict before, and turned things completely upside down for you, until the truth came and Allah's command prevailed even though they detested it. (Qur'an, 9:48)

If they had gone out among you, they would have added nothing to you but confusion. They would have scurried about amongst you seeking to cause conflict between you, and among you there are some who would have listened to them. Allah knows the wrongdoers. (Qur'an, 9:47)

Those who break Allah's contract after it has been agreed, and sever what Allah has commanded to be joined, and cause corruption on the earth, it is they who are the lost. (Qur'an, 2:27)

If they had been overrun from every side, and had then been incited to sedition, they would have done so and hesitated very little about it. (Qur'an, 33:14)

You will find others who desire to be safe from you and safe from their own people. Each time they are returned to sedition they are overwhelmed by it. If they do not keep away from you or submit to you or refrain from fighting, seize them and kill them wherever you find them. Over such people We have given you clear authority. (Qur'an, 4:91)

Some of the desert Arabs around you are hypocrites and some of the people of Madina are obdurate in their hypocrisy. You do not know them but We know them. We will punish them twice over and then they will be returned to a terrible punishment. (Qur'an, 9:101)

When news of any matter reaches them they spread it about, whether it is of a reassuring or disquieting nature. If they had only referred it to the Messenger and those in command among them, those among them able to discern the truth about it would have had proper knowledge of it. If it were not for Allah's favour to you and His mercy, all but a very few of you would have followed satan. (Qur'an, 4:83)

THEY CAUSE CORRUPTION SAYING THEY ARE
PUTTING THINGS RIGHT

When they are told, 'Do not cause corruption on the earth,' they say, 'We are only putting things right.' No indeed! They are the corrupters, but they are not aware of it. (Qur'an, 2:11-12)

THEY ATTEMPT TO DECEIVE THE BELIEVERS BY MAKING
THEIR OATHS INTO A CLOAK

They have made their oaths into a cloak and barred the Way of Allah. What they have done is truly evil. That is because they have believed and then returned to disbelief. So their hearts have been sealed up and they cannot understand. (Qur'an, 63:2-3)

THEY ACT LIKE BELIEVERS AMONG THE BELIEVERS
FOR THEIR OWN SELF-INTEREST

Among you there are people who hang back and if you encounter a setback then they say, 'Allah has blessed me in that I was not there with them.' But if you meet with favour from Allah they say—as if there were no friendship between you and them—'Oh! If only I had been with them so that I too might have won a great victory.' (Qur'an, 4:72-73)

THEY ABANDON THE BELIEVERS WHEN THEY ENCOUNTER HARDSHIP

If it had been a case of easy gains and a short journey, they would have followed you, but the distance was too great for them. They will swear by Allah: 'Had we been able to, we would have gone out with you.' They are destroying their own selves. Allah knows that they are lying. (Qur'an, 9:42)

They said, 'We will never enter it, Musa, as long as they are there. So you and your Lord go and fight. We will stay sitting here.' (Qur'an, 5:24)

Do you not see those who were told: 'Hold back from fighting but perform prayer and give alms'? Then when fighting is prescribed for them, a group of them fear people as Allah should be feared, or even more than that. They say, 'Our Lord, why have you prescribed fighting for us? If only You would give us just a little more time!' Say, 'The enjoyment of this world is very brief. The hereafter is better for those who guard against evil. You will not be wronged by so much as the smallest speck.' (Qur'an, 4:77)

THEY WAIT FOR HARD TIMES TO HARM THE BELIEVERS

They think that the Confederates have not departed and if the Confederates did appear then they would wish they were out in the desert with the Arabs, asking for news of you. If they were with you they would only fight a very little. (Qur'an, 33:20)

THEIR TRUE FACES ARE REVEALED
IN TIMES OF DIFFICULTY

Say to the Arabs who remained behind:'You will be called up against a people who possess great force whom you must fight unless they submit. If you obey, Allah will give you an excellent reward. But if you turn your backs as you did before, He will punish you with a painful punishment.' (Qur'an, 48:16)

THEY ARE TERRIFIED THAT THE ENEMIES OF
THE BELIEVERS WILL DO THEM HARM TOO

Yet you see those with sickness in their hearts rushing to them, saying, 'We fear the wheel of fate may turn against us.' But it may well be that Allah will bring about victory or some other contingency from Him. Then they will deeply regret their secret thoughts. (Qur'an, 5:52)

THEY CAUSE MISCHIEF, PARTICULARLY
IN TIMES OF DIFFICULTY

If they had gone out among you, they would have added nothing to you but confusion. They would have scurried about amongst you seeking to cause conflict between you, and among you there are some who would have listened to them. Allah knows the wrongdoers. (Qur'an, 9:47)

THEY ARE DISLOYAL IN TIMES OF HARDSHIP

(More fitting for them) would be obedience and honourable words. Once the matter is resolved upon, being true to Allah would be better for them. (Qur'an, 47:21)

They said, 'We will never enter it, Musa, as long as they are there. So you and your Lord go and fight. We will stay sitting here.' He said, 'My Lord, I have no control over anyone but myself and my brother, so make a clear distinction between us and this deviant people.' He said, 'The land will be forbidden to them for forty years during which they will wander aimlessly about the earth. Do not waste grief on this deviant people.' (Qur'an, 5:24-26)

THEY SPEAK LIKE BELIEVERS
BEFORE FACING DIFFICULTY

You were longing for death before you met it. Now you have seen it with your own eyes and you look (at it). (Qur'an, 3:143)

Those who believe say, 'If only a sura could be sent down.' But when a straightforward sura is sent down and fighting is mentioned in it, you see those with sickness in their hearts looking at you with the look of someone about to faint from fear of death. More fitting for them: (Qur'an, 47:20)

THEY ARE ARROGANT

When they are told, 'Come, and the Messenger of Allah will ask forgiveness for you,' they turn their heads and you see them turn away in haughty arrogance. (Qur'an, 63:5)

THEY MAY BE KNOWN BY THEIR MARKS,
LOOKS AND AMBIVALENT SPEECH

If We wished, We would show them to you and you would know them by their mark and know them by their ambivalent speech. Allah knows your actions. (Qur'an, 47:30)

THEY ARE UNGRATEFUL

You can ask forgiveness for them, or not ask forgiveness for them. Even if you asked forgiveness for them seventy times, Allah still would not forgive them. That is because they have rejected Allah and His Messenger. Allah does not guide deviant people. (Qur'an, 9:80)

THEIR OUTER APPEARANCE
AND SPEECH MAY BE IMPRESSIVE

When you see them, their outward form appeals to you, and if they speak you listen to what they say. But they are like propped-up planks of wood. They imagine every cry to be against them. They are the enemy, so beware of them. Allah fight them! How they are perverted! (Qur'an, 63:4)

THEY LACK INTELLECT

When you call to prayer they make a mockery and a game of it. That is because they are people who do not use their intellect. (Qur'an, 5:58)

Among them there are some who listen to you. But can you make the deaf hear even though they cannot understand? (Qur'an, 10:42)

Each time a sura is sent down, they look at one another, implying, 'Can anyone see you?' Then they turn away. Allah has turned their hearts away because they are people who do not understand. (Qur'an, 9:127)

When they are told, 'Believe in the way that the people believe,' they say, 'What! Are we to believe in the way that fools believe?' No indeed! They are the fools, but they do not know it. (Qur'an, 2:13)

THEY SUPPOSE THAT THEY ARE WISER
THAN THE BELIEVERS

They are those who said of their brothers, when they themselves had stayed behind, 'If they had only obeyed us, they would not have been killed.' Say, 'Then ward off death from yourselves if you are telling the truth.' (Qur'an, 3:168)

THEY ARE IN CONTINUOUS DISTRESS,
ANXIETY AND FEAR

When you see them, their outward form appeals to you, and if they speak you listen to what they say. But they are like propped-up planks of wood. They imagine every cry to be against them. They are the enemy, so beware of them. Allah fight them! How they are perverted! (Qur'an, 63:4)

They swear by Allah that they are of your number, but they are not of your number. Rather, they are people who are scared. (Qur'an, 9:56)

THEY INCESSANTLY TRY TO PURIFY
AND PRAISE THEMSELVES

Do you not see those who claim to be purified? No, Allah purifies whoever He wills. They will not be wronged by so much as the smallest speck. (Qur'an, 4:49)

THEY ARE CONTINUOUSLY DECEIVED BY
APPREHENSION AND FALL INTO SUSPICION

They (hypocrites) will call out to them, 'Were we not with you?' They will reply, 'Indeed you were. But you made trouble for yourselves and hung back and and doubted and false hopes deluded you until Allah's command arrived. The Deluder deluded you about Allah. (Qur'an, 57:14)

THEY WILL BE THROWN
IN THE LOWEST LEVEL OF HELL

The hypocrites are in the lowest level of the Fire. You will not find any one to help them, (Qur'an, 4:145)

Give news to the hypocrites that they will have a painful punishment. (Qur'an, 4:138)

THEY ARE UNAWARE
OF ALLAH'S HELP FOR THE BELIEVERS

They are the people who say, 'Do not spend on those who are with the Messenger of Allah, so that they may go away.' The treasuries of the heavens and earth belong to Allah. But the hypocrites do not understand this. They say, 'If we return to Madina, the mightier will drive out the inferior.' But all might belongs to Allah and to His Messenger and the believers. But the hypocrites do not know this. (Qur'an, 63:7-8)

THEY DO NOT SPEND IN THE WAY OF ALLAH

Among them there were some who made an agreement with Allah: 'If He gives us of His bounty we will definitely give charity and be among the righteous.' But when He does give them of His bounty they are tight-fisted with it and turn away, so He has punished them by putting hypocrisy in their hearts until the day they meet Him because they failed Allah in what they promised Him and because they lied. (Qur'an, 9:75-77)

THEY DO NOTHING WITHOUT
RECEIVING ANY BENEFIT IN RETURN

Then He sent down to you, after the distress, security, restful sleep overtaking a group of you, whereas another group became prey to anxious thoughts, thinking other than the truth about Allah – thoughts belonging to the Time of Ignorance – saying, 'Do we have any say in the affair at all?' Say, 'The affair belongs entirely to Allah.' They are concealing things inside themselves which they do not disclose to you, saying, 'If we had only had a say in the affair, none of us would have been killed here in this place.' Say, 'Even if you had been inside your homes, those people for whom killing was decreed would have gone out to their place of death.' So that Allah might test what is in your breasts and purge what is in your hearts. Allah knows the contents of your hearts. (Qur'an, 3:154)

THEY ARE IN DISCORD WITH ONE ANOTHER

They will not fight against you all together as a group except in fortified towns or behind high walls. Their hostility towards each other is intense. You consider them united but their hearts are scattered wide. That is because they are people who do not use their intellect. (Qur'an, 59:14)

THEY CANNOT ACHIEVE ANY OF THEIR AIMS

They have already tried to cause conflict before, and turned things completely upside down for you, until the truth came and Allah's command prevailed even though they detested it. (Qur'an, 9:48)

ALLAH CERTAINLY EXPOSES THEIR STATE

Or did those with sickness in their hearts imagine that Allah would not expose their malevolence? (Qur'an, 47:29)

What assailed you on the day the two armies met was by Allah's permission, so that He would know the believers, and so that He would know the hypocrites. They were told, 'Come and fight in the Way of Allah or at least help defend us.' They said, 'If we knew how to fight, we would certainly follow you.' They were closer to disbelief that day than to faith, saying with their mouths what was not in their hearts. And Allah knows best what they are hiding. (Qur'an, 3:166-167)

ALLAH DISGRACES THEM IN THIS WORLD

Fight them! Allah will punish them at your hands, and disgrace them and help you against them, and heal the hearts of those who believe. (Qur'an, 9:14)

THEY DO NOT LEARN FROM WHAT BEFALLS THEM

Do they not see that they are tried once or twice in every year? But still they do not turn back. They do not pay heed. (Qur'an, 9:126)

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